Artists put themselves through hell to produce music for you. And how to you return the favor? Listening to their blood, sweat, and tears while talking on the phone and doing work? I think not. By listening to music correctly, one can appreciate all the work that the artist has put into the music, and enjoy it more.

There are two ideal situations for listening to music.

-Solitary Transportation
-Quiet room + headphones

Solitary transportation. How sad. But what a perfect opportunity for deep listening! When you’re driving, or flying, or biking, this is when you will receive maximum pleasure from your music. The car radio is a great way to not only discover new music, but to listen to it and appreciate it. On the contrary, blasting “Don’t Stop Me Now” in your car and singing along with a bunch of friends is a good time, but also provides no deep-listening pleasure. So, take a lonely drive, and pump some tunes.
Headphones and a quiet room. There are two ways this can be achieved.

-Noise reducing headphones (Warning: $$$$$)
-A very quiet room

If you have the money to spare, I’d definitely recommend Bose noise reducing headphones. With these you can achieve deep-listening virtually anywhere in the world. However, if you’re looking for a cheaper solution, grab your Ipod, your not-so-super headphones, a comfortable chair, and a quiet room. Put on some tunes, any tunes, and listen very attentively. Try to actually think about the music. Often times I’ll find myself thinking while I listen. But if you really focus on listening to the music, I promise that you will hear things you have never heard before. Listen to the instruments, the vocals, and all of a sudden, you realize just how rich the musical masterpiece you’re listening to is.

But I enjoy my music as it is! Why should I take advice from this unheard-of music blog?!
Unless you’re a music pirate (Not O.K.), you pay for your music. When I do my “deep-listening”, I feel like I’m not only getting my money’s worth but also understanding just how music is made.

But what if I can’t do it?! How will I know I have mastered the art of deep-listening?
Most artists try to convey emotions through their music. Often times, if you’re in a state of deep-listening, you can better understand these emotions. I usually get chills just from listening, and this is a feeling you can only get if you are listening intensely. Also, you should become familiar with the lyrics after a listen or two. By listening closely to lyrics, you can understand what the artist was trying to say when writing the song.

So, hopefully you’ve learned a thing or two about listening. And through the application of these techniques, maybe you can gain a greater appreciation of music. Good luck soldiers, I wish you the best of luck on your search for ultimate musical pleasure.